USA is the favourite
As every year, the American team is considered the clear favourites to win the championship. The Americans have won the last 2 World Championships and the last time they didn't take home the gold was in 2006, when they lost to a surprise Greek team. Although this year's tournament will not feature most of the NBA's brightest stars, such as Lebron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and others, the line-up is in any case very strong considering that all the players have important roles in the world's strongest basketball league.
Press interviews G. Popovičius, the team's coach, mentioned that this is a new team that has to grow together and a good team atmosphere will be very important to achieve the highest results. The team is likely to show a more team-oriented game, similar to the American All-Star teams in previous tournaments, but most of the attacks will probably revolve around these players:
K. Walker - 25.6 points, 4.4 rebounds The player who averaged 4.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in the 2018/2019 NBA season is considered the team's undisputed leader. The 29-year-old is playing the best basketball of his career and a good performance at this World Championship would further increase his value in the eyes of experts and fans alike.
D. Mitchell - 23.8 points, 4.1 rebounds The Utah Jazz's average scorer this season, who is still only 22 years old, is already considered one of the most talented and promising players in the league. There is no doubt that his tandem with Walker will be one of the hardest to stop in the league.
J. Tatum - 15.7 points, 6.0 rebounds 2.1 res. pass. These are the stats that the 21-year-old, who is also considered to have the potential to become a Top 10 player in the whole league one day, has been collecting for the Boston Celtics this season. Tatum has all the qualities and talent to do so, and a great step to prove himself would be a good showing in this World Cup.
The USA has played only one friendly match so far. The Spanish team was defeated 90-81.
Serbia
Serbia, which has arguably one of the strongest line-ups in the country's basketball history, is not hiding its ambitions for this tournament. After finishing 4th in 2010 and losing to Lithuania in the battle for 3rd place, Serbia came back with a bang at the 2014 World Championship and managed to reach the final. Although they lost out to the American team (which at the time was represented by most of the best players in the NBA), the young Serbian team's performance was already impressive. The team will go into this championship even stronger and more experienced, and is considered a prime candidate to dethrone the USA.
Four NBA players and a group of well-known and high-performing players from Europe will be looking to do what they didn't do at the last championship. The Serbian national team has gone through a generational change very easily and now has a very talented young squad, which also has a great atmosphere that allows for better chemistry between the players. Although the Serbian team's main driving force is team play, these players should create the game and be the driving force of the team:
Nikola Jokic - The 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists high scorer is one of the best rebounders in the world. Often the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Jokic, whose nickname across the Atlantic is "Joker", leads the league in assists at his position. There is no doubt that the Serbian national team's offence will revolve around this player.
Bogdan Bogdanovic - 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists The point guard who played for the Sacramento Kings is highly regarded for his excellent shot creation and slashing ability. Bogdanovic has also shown a lot of composure this season, finishing off attacks in the final seconds of a game or even in the final seconds of a game, and showing that he is not intimidated by the decisive moments.
Nemanja Bjelica - 9.6 points, 5.8 rebounds The forward, who played for the Sacramento Kings this season, had some injury problems, but has recovered from them and is now fully ready to help his team achieve its best results. Bjelica is the ideal taller player for today's basketball, as he can spread the floor, run the fast break and play one-on-one.
The Serbian national team has already played six friendlies, all of which were won. The Finnish team won 95-75, Lithuania 72-68 and 95-91, Turkey 87-72, Italy 96-64 and Greece 85-80 in overtime.
Greece
The Greek team, led by the NBA's league MVP, is also setting very high goals for the championship. The team has assembled one of the best squads of the last few years and it would not surprise anyone to see a good performance from this team. The Greeks have a very well-balanced squad, with a core that has been playing together for a long time, and around it young and very talented players such as G. Antetokounmpo, I. Papapetrou, G. Papagiannis and others.
The Greek national team this year, unlike in previous years, should promote faster basketball, based on Antetokounmpo's use of fast-paced attacks and 1-on-1 play. There is a mood of anxiety in the Greek camp about the health of Sloukas, as he is not yet fully ready to play and it is still questionable whether he will be able to recover before the start of the championship. The main winners for Greece in this tournament should be:
G. Antetokounmpo - The 27.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists forward continues to amaze with every season. The player, who is improving at a breakneck pace, seems to have unlimited potential and continues to improve various elements of his game every year. Giannis' only perceived weakness is his unstable and unsure shooting from distance, but the Greek has mentioned that improving this aspect of his game is one of his priorities going into the next NBA season.
Nick Calathes - 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds The guard, who has collected 12.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in this Euroleague season, is considered one of the best point guards in Europe. Calathes, who averages close to 10 assists, has been a key contributor for Athens Panathinaikos in every game. Calathes has a very high basketball IQ, so even though he doesn't have a steady and sure shot, he easily finds ways to contribute to the team in other aspects of the game.
Georgios Printezis - 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds The Greek veteran, who averaged 10.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game this season, is still one of the team's core players. Mobile, with good court vision and the ability to play 1v1 and shoot from long range, there is a reason why he is one of the best-known players in Europe. His good game will be very much needed in this championship.
Like Serbia, Greece has already played 6 friendly matches. They have beaten Iran 82-69 and 88-58, Hungary 83-59, Italy 83-63, Turkey 84-70, and in the last game, Serbia 80-85.
Spain
The Spanish national team, for a long time the strongest team in Europe, which has won the European Basketball Championship 3 times in the last 10 years, is no longer considered the best team in Europe this year. While there is certainly no shortage of talent in the team, the generational change and the ageing of the core is affecting the best. In any case, this championship will be a great chance to show the world that Spain has a lot of talented players who can compete with the best teams in the world.
As unfortunate as it may be, Gasol, who has become a symbol of the team, will not participate in this year's World Cup, which is still a big loss for the team, given his age. Another veteran of the team, S. Rodriguez, will also not play in the World Cup, and will be replaced by other players who play for high-level European clubs. The following players are expected to play leading roles in the team:
M. Gasol - The 13.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists high scorer this season is undoubtedly being hailed as a key player for the Spanish national team, with the biggest responsibility on his shoulders. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Season, who can extend the floor with long-range shots, is an excellent rebounder and an experienced centre should shine in this tournament.
S. Lull - 10.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 4 assists These are the stats of the veteran Spanish national team player this season. Lull will miss a lot of games due to injury and was as hard to stop when he returned to the court as he was before the injury. The player who has been driving opponents to desperation with his difficult and often unexpected shots should be the main engine of the Spanish national team's offense in this championship, and his duo with Gasol will be a big part of the team's success in this championship.
R. Rubio - 12.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists.The Utah Jazz forward also had a solid game in the World Cup preparation games this season. Rubio has always had great court vision, but in recent seasons he has also improved his long-range shooting. Add to that a top-level NBA experience and a steady presence in the national team, and you have a very talented, experienced player who will also be a big part of the team's performance at this year's championship.
The Spanish national team has already played 3 friendlies in preparation for the 2019 World Cup. The Lithuanian team won 78-70, the Ivory Coast won 79-62 and the USA lost 81-90.
France
The 3rd ranked team in the FIBA list will not be the strongest team going into the World Cup, but it will have a very capable line-up. With as many as 6 NBA players and a bunch of familiar faces in Europe, the team, which will be in optimal shape, would not be surprised to reach the semi-finals or even the finals of the tournament, given the right circumstances.
Although the era of T. Parker, who was the team's leader for more than a decade, is over, the team's line-up still looks very threatening, as there has never been a shortage of talent in this squad. The core players of the team in this championship should be:
Rudy Gobert - The Utah Jazz point guard, who scored 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2 assists per game, is considered one of the best defensive players in the world for good reason. His long arms and great athleticism give opponents a lot of problems, and on offense Gobert is also a great finisher and rebounder.
Evan Fournier - The 26-year-old guard, who scored 15.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists this season, has improved a lot and has high hopes for this championship. Fournier is great at creating shooting opportunities, has a very accurate hand and is not afraid to take the lead at crucial moments. There is a good chance that he will be the one who will be entrusted with the decisive shots in the final seconds of the game.
Nicola Batum - 9.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists These are the stats that the 30-year old veteran of the French national team showed for the Charlotte Hornets this season. Batum had one of the worst seasons of his career and injuries were a big part of that. Batum returned to the lineup after his injuries healed, but he was not able to improve his form by the end of the season. In any case, he is one of the most experienced players in France who has been playing at the highest level for a long time, and his importance for the national team is not in doubt.
The French team has already played 5 friendlies. The first match of the friendly marathon was a 69-74 loss to Turkey, followed by 94-56 wins over Tunisia, 80-72 over Montenegro, 86-72 over Brazil and 77-58 over Argentina.
Forecasts
The final line-ups of all the teams are not yet clear, but with just over a week to go, it is becoming more and more evident that these teams will be the favourites for the championship. The bookmakers seem to agree with this list. You can see the World Cup offer here.
- USA - The odds for an American victory in the championship are just 1.47.
A bet of €100 would win you just €47. The Americans have the most talented team in the championship, and are also well coached, but the lack of experience in international competitions and the minimal differences in rules between NBA and European basketball may be a factor, so the odds don't really reflect the risk. - Serbia - Serbia's victory in the championship comes with odds as high as 5. A bet of €100 on a Serbian triumph would win you €400. The Serbian national team has no shortage of talent and has been playing together for a long time and should be well prepared for this championship. It is definitely worth taking a chance on the team winning this championship.
- Greece - Greece's victory in the tournament is given odds of 11.
This means that if you wager €100, you could win as much as €1000. Greece also has a strong core and a very talented team, led by the NBA MVP, but as strange as it may sound, it's likely to be tougher to play here than in the NBA. Antetokounmpo doesn't have a solid long-range shot, and the physical basketball promoted by European teams doesn't really suit a player who relies on breakthroughs. The Greek team will go far, but it is hard to see them winning this year. - Spain - 19 odds for Spain to win the championship.
Spain's success in the tournament will depend a lot on the Rubio-Gasol tandem, how well it works together and the involvement of the supporting players. You can never underestimate the Spanish team, but this year they don't look like such a dominant force anymore, and it's likely that they won't reach the very top. - France - 25 odds for France to win the championship.
France is the dark horse of the top five, with a lot of NBA-level talent and an athletic team that will be very difficult for everyone to compete against. With a good day from Fournier, Batum and a strong pillar under the basket in Gobert, this team can surprise and even reach the finals.
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